Khmer Morning News

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Tribunal Parties To Meet Media Seperately

All parties participating in the Khmer Rouge tribunal will
be separated for future press conferences, following a row at the courts last
week, a spokeswoman said.

Following a hearing on jailed Khmer Rouge leader Khieu
Samphan Dec. 4, prosecutors, defense lawyers and civil parties joined one press
conference in one room at the tribunal.

The press conference devolved into a verbal confrontation
between alleged victims of the regime, defense lawyers and prosecutors and at
least one threat against the defense team.

"We will appeal to all parties to behave more respectfully
within the court to any other parties," tribunal spokeswoman Helen Jarvis said
Monday.

The courts will now ensure that press conferences will be
separated, she said.

"The aim is to let any party express its views freely,
without intimidation or a clash," she said.

Thursday's row was the first of its kind in a tribunal that
has been long-delayed in its prosecution of five Khmer Rouge leaders.

Sok Laing, a coordinator for the civil parties of the Center
for Social Development, who was present at the "misunderstanding" between
lawyers and victims, said the trouble arose from the pain of the victims, among
them the head of the center, Seng Theary, who had been upset by the testimony
earlier of Khieu Samphan.

"It is not a ban for their right to participate in the
process if they organize for them to have a chance to address the press also,"
he said.